[Functional impairment and quality of life after rectal cancer surgery]. / Afectación funcional y calidad de vida tras cirugía de cáncer rectal.

OBJECTIVE: This study determines the quality of life and the anorectal function of these patients. METHOD: Observational study of two cohorts comparing patients undergoing rectal tumor surgery using TaETM or conventional ETM after a minimum of six months of intestinal transit reconstruction. EORTC-30, EORTC-29 quality of life questionnaires and the anorectal function assessment questionnaire (LARS score) are applied. General variables are also collected. RESULTS: 31 patients between 2011 and 2014: 15 ETM group and 16 TaETM. We do not find statistically significant differences in quality of life questionnaires or in anorectal function. Statistically significant general variables: longer surgical time in the TaETM group. Nosocomial infection and minor suture failure in the TaETM group. CONCLUSION: The performance of TaETM achieves the same results in terms of quality of life and anorectal function as conventional ETM.

ANTECEDENTES: La técnica de referencia de la cirugía rectal sigue siendo la escisión total del mesorrecto (ETM), en la que se aplica la laparoscopia por sus ventajas. El intento de evitar el 17% de reconversión hace que se apliquen técnicas transanales. La ETM transanal (TaETM) se lleva a cabo por grupos experimentales con buenos resultados oncológicos y de morbimortalidad. OBJETIVO: Este estudio determina la calidad de vida y la función anorrectal de estos pacientes. MÉTODO: Estudio observacional de dos cohortes que compara pacientes intervenidos por tumor rectal mediante TaETM o ETM convencional después de 6 meses mínimo de la reconstrucción del tránsito intestinal. Se aplican los cuestionarios de calidad de vida EORTC-30 y EORTC-29, y el cuestionario de valoración de función anorrectal (LARS score). También se recogen variables generales. RESULTADOS: Entre 2011 y 2014 fueron intervenidos 31 pacientes: 15 en el grupo de ETM y 16 en el de TaETM. No se encuentran diferencias estadísticamente significativas en cuanto a cuestionarios de calidad de vida ni respecto a la función anorrectal. Variables generales estadísticamente significativas: tiempo quirúrgico mayor en el grupo TaETM, e infección nosocomial y fallo de sutura menores en el grupo TaETM. CONCLUSIÓN: La realización de TaETM obtiene los mismos resultados en cuanto a calidad de vida y función anorrectal que la ETM convencional. BACKGROUND: The gold standard of rectal surgery remains total mesorrectal excision (ETM) in which laparoscopy is applied for its advantages. The attempt to avoid 17% conversion rate implies that transanal techniques are applied. Transanal ETM (TaETM) is performed by experimental groups with good oncological and morbimortality results.

A patient-specific model of the biomechanics of hip reduction for neonatal Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip: Investigation of strategies for low to severe grades of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip.

A physics-based computational model of neonatal Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) following treatment with the Pavlik Harness (PV) was developed to obtain muscle force contribution in order to elucidate biomechanical factors influencing the reduction of dislocated hips. Clinical observation suggests that reduction occurs in deep sleep involving passive muscle action. Consequently, a set of five (5) adductor muscles were identified as mediators of reduction using the PV. A Fung/Hill-type model was used to characterize muscle response. Four grades (1-4) of dislocation were considered, with one (1) being a low subluxation and four (4) a severe dislocation. A three-dimensional model of the pelvis-femur lower limb of a representative 10 week-old female was generated based on CT-scans with the aid of anthropomorphic scaling of anatomical landmarks. The model was calibrated to achieve equilibrium at 90° flexion and 80° abduction. The hip was computationally dislocated according to the grade under investigation, the femur was restrained to move in an envelope consistent with PV restraints, and the dynamic response under passive muscle action and the effect of gravity was resolved. Model results with an anteversion angle of 50° show successful reduction Grades 1-3, while Grade 4 failed to reduce with the PV. These results are consistent with a previous study based on a simplified anatomically-consistent synthetic model and clinical reports of very low success of the PV for Grade 4. However our model indicated that it is possible to achieve reduction of Grade 4 dislocation by hyperflexion and the resultant external rotation.

Magellanic penguin mortality in 2008 along the SW Atlantic coast.

Magellanic penguins migrate from Patagonia reaching northern Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil on their winter migration, in parallel with the seasonal pulse of anchovy spawning. In 2008, Magellanic penguins went further north than usual. Many died and a few swam nearly to the Equator. Twelve groups surveyed 5000 km of coastline encountering 3371 penguins along the coast. Most penguins arrived in northern Brazil (68.4%) without petroleum (2933, 87%). Almost all penguins without petroleum were juveniles (2915, 99%) and 55% were alive when found. Penguins were dehydrated, anemic, hypothermic, and emaciated. Of the penguins with petroleum, 13% arrived in the southern half of Brazil, showing that petroleum pollution remains a problem along the SW Atlantic coast. The mortality occurred in the winter of 2008 when sea surface temperature were unusually cold perhaps reducing the prey for penguins.